STF raids petrol pumps in Lucknow: Seven outlets found using chip to dupe customers

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) raided seven petrol pumps here which were allegedly using remote-controlled electronic chip in fuel dispensing machines to dupe unsuspecting consumers.

All the seven petrol pumps have been sealed and about 14 people were being questioned in this connection, ASP (STF) Arvind Chaturvedi said on Friday.

On a tip-off, STF sleuths last night picked up an electrician who used to instal these chips in petrol dispensing machines which reduced the fuel output, he said.

"On his information, we carried out raids in seven petrol pumps and found that all of them were using the chip and making profits by saving petrol in every filling," the ASP said.

Raids will also be carried out in other parts of the state as the STF has information that the chip has been sold to a large number of pumps, he added.

The chip costing around Rs 3,000 when installed in the dispensing machines reduced the output by nearly five to ten per cent. The chip is attached with a wire which is linked with a remote control that set the limit, the STF said.

If the dispensing machine is fitted with this chip, a customer will get only 940 ml petrol for the price of one litre.

"On an average, the petrol pumps using this device were earning an undue profit of Rs 14 lakh per month," the ASP said.

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